Modernism/Le Corbusier Architecture & Design
Architecture & Design
Figure 1: Charles-Edouard Jeanneret in his apartment Jacob Ave, Paris, 1920 [1].
Le Corbusier’s architectural design resembled that of modernist philosophy and perspective [1]. He was greatly fascinated with new elements of the materials, straight edges, geometric shapes, functionality of all components of design, and anti-history/monumental [2].
Along with his designs came a social perspective in centering the working man as the main ideas throughout his designs. Corbusier notice the increase of the city, the demand for industrial workers, and the growing gap between workers and elite [3]. For these reason, he predicted the future to be have more technology, dense population, and millions of working classes [3]. Due to his foreshadowing of the future, he envisioned creating a city as a utopia [4]. In this ideal city, people would able to live in the same space and share the same access and opportunities to green space and transportation [3].
Figure 2: The modeler 1945. [1]
With the rise of industrial work and cars, Corbusier felt it was important to keep the lungs clean [3]. By building a city that adapted to technological advancements and the necessity of working with a balance of nature [5]. Corbusier knew that rise of city like industrial work would create dense, dirty, and polluted city, he aimed to keep citizens clean and close to nature by green space and public transportation [3]. This solution allows for several problems to be concluded including smog in city, citizens being close to nature, and overall health [3].
Corbusier was fascinated with transportation and the new technologies of mobility [5][2]. It was now possible to move from one side of the state to another independently for a couple hours or days versus days and weeks. He knew that the modern life and the future to come would rely greatly automobiles. Along with this the cities would be dense and not have much room for cars, so public transportation would be important when considering the urban design of a city [3].
Incorporating and considering, flat, right angles, geometric shapes, functionality, new materials along with the common worker, social health, and wellbeing was Corbusier’s main concern in his design plans.
Plan for the City of Three Million Inhabitants
In 1922, he opens an architecture company with his cousins and starts the Plan for Three Million in Paris [2].
Figure 3 & 4: Plan for the City of Three Million Inhabitants, Not located, 1922. [6]
Specifically in Le Corbusier’s plan for Paris, titled Ville Contemporaine: City for Three Million Inhabitants this eventually gets change and transformed several times [5]. This plan is composed of four main concepts, “1. Decongestion of center areas in the city, 2. Increase density, 3. Enlarge circulation, 4. Enlarge landscape areas” [6]. He envisioned several cars in which they could easily move through the city. His plan consisted of twenty-four skyscrapers with large open green spaces and storefronts, government buildings, and workplaces (factories) [6]. Each skyscraper would have 3000 residents [6]. Le Corbusier’s plan was an optimistic and utopian way of adapting to the rise of the working class and innovations that were arising. He was able to achieve simple functional buildings while still considering the dynamics of the city.
Figure 5: Plan for the City of Three Million Inhabitants, Not located, 1922. [6]
Plan Voisin
Although Le Corbusier had a well throughout concepts for an imaginary city, not one city seemed to want demolish their current town. Le Corbusier decided to make some adjustment and introduced the Plan Voisin in 1925. This was in the central part of Paris [7]. Le Corbusier wanted to tear down the monuments and other structures to build open space and skyscrapers for low income workers [7]. He expressed the workers, function, and health of Paris to be important and addresses these issues through his design [5]. Although, his plan again is well thought out it is not brought to life. Le Corbusier’s plans thus far are important to note for modernism and for Paris as a city, because his designs and thought process brought up the questions of working class and how to adjust to the new environment of a city [3]. This led to many questions about the working class, health, environment, and the consequences of the rise in technologies [7].
Figure 6 & 7: Plan Voisin, Paris, France, 1925. [7]
Radiant City
Figure 8: Le Corbusier looking at the Radiant City Model 1930. Figure 9: Radiant City, 1930 [8]
Le Corbusier wanted ways to improve and utilized his concepts from Ville Contemporaine: City for Three Million Inhabitants and Plan Voisin. Thus, Le Corbusier created the Radiant City in 1930. In this plan he focused on the open space which was 88% of the ground area [8]. The concept was to have create a technology based and green space society or better known as an industrial utopia [8]. The concept was aimed to be functional and minimal. He describes high skyscraper buildings stacked into long rows arranged around green space and being in proximity to local transit such as the metro [8]. He utilized the materials interior and exterior as the same to show functionality of a building. The furniture, kitchen, dining, and windows all had a flow with one another. It was important to have your own space needed, but to also be connected to nature and the community[8].
Along with the attributes stated, Le Corbusier was intrigued with private, semi-private, and public space. This created individualism alongside communities. This allowed for a person to have open space shared but private space within their property. Although Corbusier had several good ideas to benefit the common person, society denied his proposal several times [9]. The city board of Paris like Le Corbusier’s concepts but did not want to create and rebuild an entire city of utopia. The construction would take long, a lot of resources, and would not be a thriving city without an economic gap [8].
New Additional Designs
In 1935 He came up with “la Grande Industrie”, in which incorporated several designs of a city utopia [9]. The public opinion or rather the city developers did not approve of it, he decided to revise it two years later. He received support from the Congress International Architecture Modernism, in which he included experimental buildings[9]. The experimental building was half a mile long and fifteen stories high, apartments and a highway. He had many ideas taken from his Plan Voisin of 1925 including skyscrapers and temporary buildings. He was unable to fully deconstruct Paris, but he received permission to design a museum in 1936 [9]. All of Corbusier’s work had political messages in it had he incorporated the owner of technology and social stability in a city [8].
In November 1937, Corbusier proposed again to solve the city social issues and planning [8]. The Paris City Council seem to be on board and like previous times liked his concepts and design [9]. At the last moment the council decided to go with another design, although they convince Le Corbusier they wanted his design [9]. He ended up not getting the support to complete his urban plan design. Corbusier then took matter into his own hands and printed his book [9]. From this point forward Le Corbusier made headlines in other country designing buildings and even one city [9]. He continued to be the in the forefront of the modernist movement and build well into his passing days. Le Corbusier left his mark in Paris by his ideologies and design style, which led to uncover social issues and the identity of the city.
Resources
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"Biography." Fondation Le Corbusier. Pictures 1 & 2 . (2018).
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Moos, Stanislaus Von. Le Corbusier. Le Corbusier. Lumen. (1977).
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Emmons, Paul. "The place of odour in modern aerial urbanism." The Journal of Architecture 19, no. 2 (2014): 202-215.
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Muschamp, H. “New public housing, French vintage 1922.” New York Times (1993).
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Corbusier, Le. "The City of Tomorrow and its Planning, London: Architectural.-(1925): The Radiant City." (1929).
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"Ville Contemporaine." Fondation Le Corbusier. Pictures 3,4, & 5 . (2018).
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"Plan Voisin." Fondation Le Corbusier. Pictures 6 & 7. (2018).
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"Radiant City." Fondation Le Corbusier. Pictures 8 & 9. (2018).
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Udovicki-Selb, Danilo. "Le Corbusier and the Paris exhibition of 1937: the temps nouveaux Pavilion." Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 56, no. 1 (1997): 42-63.